The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-01-12
THE OLE MANS GREDGE.
BY JENNIE E. JuDsoN.


''But, pappy, " demonstrated the young
girl, gently, "he never tuck the gol."
''Never tuck the goll" cried the old
man, fierce fire blazing in his sunken
eyes. "Mightn't he as well tuck hit2
Didn't he up an die 'thout givin no
signp
1T mought ben that he'd forgot. i"
mo, chile, 'twant that. He knowed,
he shorely knowed. 'Twere ies the ole
gredge aworkin on him tell the las )"
IAN what ware the gredge %
Hit ware fur bekase thru a-bein
shiiless an ornery he miss a-gittin the
ooman he wanted fur wife, while was
mo pyearter and come in ahead
The girl sat silent a moment, then
asked: "How kim he ever to know
whar the gol an silver ware put2"
He holp me bury 'em, Telury. Mus
l allus keep a-tellin you"-fretfully-
''as how when we hecrd the Northun
troops ware a-comin axed HIM to holp
me tote hit to a safet place an bury hit.
II was cen mos down with fever.
70 nav ware bedfast, an yo want moth
In but little goslin of chit. Carruth-
ers had kim over to borry sumthin. an
peared like hit ware my onliest chance.
Il lei the house a-reelin like drunk
man. Lightnin ware dancin befo my
eyes an thundar a-roarin in my yers but
ke on N on, an It las 1 heerd Carru-
theirs say, dim like, as in dream
They amt no safeter place than what
this is Then his pick struck into the
yeath, an 'th that tumbled right in my
tracks with the feelin that Jake Carru-
theirs ware a-diggin my grave.
IAN hit ware the grave to all nv
hopes, Telury, he added, patheticaliy,
'fur had Ituckered myself clean out
a-manY N a-many day maxim that
money, for you an 20 nav, kase had
my hyeart plumb set on a-sendin YOU to
Meeridgyun to skule, and a-hirin a fine
Phizziken to cyore yo nav o. that spine
in her back
San hyer," he continued, with a
tremulous break in his voice, ''yo maw's
done gone, tuck off by the very mizry
mistrusted would cause her eend, an you
'thout no eddication but what you've
got fun these piney- woods skules, which
the good Lord knows amt much.
'Haint | good reason to hate him9"
with painting breath, IAN to cuss his hull
hateful broodI Haint I right to wish
em every evil under the SUM-"
mot them, pap, cried the young
girl, excitedly; don't cuss the inno-
cent. 'Tware the oil man as done wrong.
Wouldn't he never tell you" she asked,
as If in haste to turn the current of his
words, "whar the box ware buried2"
"Tell me! l reckin he's told me q
thousing times as how 'tware put at the
fnOf Ia, = L.
guarding. I've dug the tree down by
piecetmeal in the yers I've KEEP a-lookin'.
But when I'd tell him twan't thar, an
never had been thar, he'd vow the Yam
KEGS mus tuck hit away"
"An' moughtn't that benz"
mo, chill. The troops wasn't skasely
gone tell began to pyeartin up, an
when went to dig whar Jake had toll
me, plain seed't groun' had never ben
broke.
'But he air restin oneasy in his
grave, Telury," he continued, in grue
some whisper 1.-TWO scritch ow-els
scrotch N scrotch under my winder las
night, which air a shore sign of the dyin
ur the dead, an when [ went to sleep I
drempt Jake stood out thar in the south
field a-pintin tAgodes the oil oak, an a.
sayin; go thar, an dig in the dead of
night. Wen go tonight, an see what
we kin fn."
Telura made no sign of dissent. Long
experience had fought her that a ready
interest in the olt-told tale, and a ready
acquiescence in her fathers plans for the
recovery OF the treasure were by far the
best. Opposition only reused within
him spirit of excitement which wore
cruelty on his weakenel frame.
She rose, and went slowly away to her
work, but as the clock struck four she
left the back entrance and disappeared
quietly in the woods. The sun had set
when she returned. As she passed her
father on the front porch he clutched at
her gown with trembling fingers.
"Who ware you a-walking with in the
pine-groVe, Teluryl" he asked, huskily.
"'Tware Tom Carruthers." she an
swere0, lifting white face and fright
ened eyes.
The blow had fallen and the old man
quailed beneath it.
'l've los my propity," he muttered,
miserably, I've los my wife, an now Pm
a-goin to lose my emil My Godw he
painted, as if from overpowering pain,
''hit pears too hard to bar. "
"Oh, papm cried the young girl,
wildly, as she threw her arms about him,
''you amt a-going to lose me. I'll stan
by you tell the eend. ware a-partin
with him forever, bekase / knowed hit
ware yO wish. l had growed to keer
fur him 'thout a-knowin of it. He ware
allus so kind when we ware a-goin to
skule, and senee then 'peared like could
n go nowhur nur do nothin but Tom 3
allus on hands / want never perlite to
him, pap. but locke like as if the mo
hatefuller l sctid twodes him the mo